Medicine-cabinet



E. F. TURNER.

MEDICINE CABINET. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3, I919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Pawnted Feb. 15,1921.

E. F. TURNER. MEDICINE CABINET.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3. :919.

2 SHELTS-SHEET 2.

Patentevi. Fe 115, 1921;-

MEDICINE-CABINET.

Application filed January 3, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELBERT F. TURNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield,in the county of Greene and State of Missouri,have invented new and useful Improvements in Medicine-Cabinets, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the invention is to provide means, particularly adapted for use in drug stores, dispensaries, private residences, etc., for containing medicines including those which are recognized s poisonous, under such conditions as to maintain a distinct separation of the medicines or remedies which are relatively poisonous and nonpoisonous in separate compartments of the cabinet and to provide for giving access to one of the classes of medicines in one compartment only when the other is rendered inaccessible as by being locked in another separate compartment, as, for instance, when a latch is turned to open the door. of one compartment the door of the other compartment becomes securely locked with the same operation;-and also to provide means in this connection whereby a signal, either audible or visual or both, is maintained with reference to the open compartment of the cabinet aslong as the contents thereofare accessible.

To this end the invention consists in the construction, combination and relation of parts hereinafter described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it being understood however that changes in form, proportion and detail maybe resorted to w1thout departing from the spirit, of the invention.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a view of a cabinet constructed in accordance with the invention, one of the compartments of the same being shown opened.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the locking mechanism which is employed mutually in reference to the doors of both compartments of the cabinet.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the same on the plane indicated by the line 33 of Fig. 2. f

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectlon on the plane indicated by the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

. Fig. 5 is a, detail view of one of'the bolt carryinglevers, 1

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view, partly in Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

Serial No. 269,443.

section, of one of the electric circuits and the cut-out switch.

In the construction illustrated the cabinet is provided with two independent compartments which are designated respectively as 10 and 11 and may be known respectively as general and poison compartments in that the former is adapted to contain those general medicines and remedies which are not ordinarily classified as poisonous, while the latter is designed to contain those medicines which are so classified and are regarded as dangerous in the hands of irresponsible or ignorant parties and which ordinarily are only sold on prescription; and to the end that the druggist or drug clerk or other person may be surrounded by every possible safe-guard in the handling of these products, so as to avoid mistakes in filling prescriptions 'andthe like, said compartments are provided with independent closures 12 and 13 consisting for example of doors which being hinged at their outer edges are adapted to fold toward each other as to bring their free edges into relation with a common locking mechanism indicated at 14:. The purpose is to provide a locking mechanism which will permit of the opening of either door, to give access to the corresponding compartment of the cabinet only when the other door is closed and locked, and incidentally thereto to provide distinctive means whereby the poison may be identified and distinguished from the general compartment, or the part of the cabinet containing the general remedies, as for example by arranging in the former in a prominent position a visual signal bearing for example the word Poison. This may be constructed in the form of a transparent or translucent plate 15 bearin in clear distinguishable characters the sign word, and locating in rear thereof an electric lamp or similar illuminating device as shown at 16, and at the same time an audible signal is provided for and is designed to be located in or near the compartment which contains medicines recognized as poisonous, said signal consisting for example of a bell 17. It is preferable to employ electrically operated signaling devices of both the visual and audible types in the compartment 11 and to arrange them in circuits for example with a battery 19 or other source ofenergy controlled by switches located for example in the lock mechanism and therefore actuable in opening and closing by the manipulation of the lock mechanism in connection with locking or unlocking the respective doors of the compartments. In the compartment may be arranged an electric lamp 16 arranged in circuit with a battery 19..

The means illustrated for accomplishing this purpose embody what may be deslgnated as locking bolts 20 and 21 arranged in the casingle and disposed oppositely for engagement respectively with the doors l2 and 13, said bolts being provided with pivotal carriers 22and 23 consisting of internie'dia'tely mounted levers whose free ends carry wards 24 arranged in the paths of 'latches25 which are mountedrespectively upon the cabinet compartment doorsso that when the latch of one door is turned from its engagement with the lock casing to release its door, the turning movement being accomplishedby an exposed knob'or grip 26,

the related pivotal carrier of the'locking bolt for: the other cabinet door is released and isjfree to be actuated by a spring 27 locatedin the casing and so disposed as to project said locking bolt into engagement with theotlier compartment door; For example" when the latch of. [the poison, coinpartment "cloorfl3 is turned to open the'lat ter, the locking'bolt 20 isprojected to engage and secure the door 12 against opening and this'engagement is maintained until the door 13 is closed andits'latch turned to, a locking position with the actuatii'igspring under restraint in order that the turning of the latch'carried by the door 12 and which is accompanied by the projection of the: bolt 21 tolock the door 13 serves to release the door 12. The engagementof the door 12,01 either door, in other words, by the related locking bolt, is accomplished automatically by the turningof the latch of the other door, and that looking engagement is retained until thesecond named door has been closed 7 and its latch turned to secure it in such position.

In order that the signaling devices may be 7 actuated with relation respectively to the compartments as they are opened the elemerits ofeach switch or circuit closer are carried respectively by the lock casing as shown at 28 and the corresponding bolt carrieras shown at 29, the circuit wires 30 being connected respectively therewith, and

' the relation between said elements being such that for example when the locking bolt 20-is released for engagement with the door 12 by the openingmovement of the latch on the door 13, the circuit of the signal or, Sig nals in the compartment 11 isyclosed and this condition maintains until thevd oor of v,theopen compartment has been closed and 7 locked by the turning time latch carried thereby.

The maintenance of the signal in its active condition, whether it be'visual or audible or both, serves as an everready reminder of the character of medicine or drug contained in the compartment which has just been opened or made accessible thereto, and under any circumstances the desired access to either compartment is prevented until the door of-the other compartment has been returned to its closed position andits latch. engaged with the lock casing inorder that l ently movable doorsja pair ofdocking devices, one. for 'eaclrdoor, and an associated alternating-interlock-controlling means governing said locking devicesifo'r automatically lockingeither door when the other dooris unlocked and open. T

. 3, A- cabinet having a pair ofseparate I compartments, doors for closing the"res'pec tive compartments, and a locking mechanism nactive when rboth doors areclosed so as to permit e ther door to be opened, said having a pair of independ- V locking mechanism being operative to lock either closure when the other "closure is opened.

4. A plural compartment receptacle having independent compartment closures and locking mechanism embodying sets of looking devices, one actuable to' lock one closure when the other is actuated to release another closure, and vice 'versa. I

5. Aplural compartment receptacle havmg independent "compartment closures and,

locking mechanism common to saidclosures and provided with a "locking bolt, and a latch foriea'ch closure, and means whereby the engaging and disengaging movements of the latch of one closure cause reverse movements ofthe locking bolt of another closure.

'6. A' plural. compartment receptacle ha'v ing independent compartment closures and locking mechanism common to said closures andjprovided with a-spring actuated locking bolt and a mutually operable'latch' for each closure, and bolt retracting means for each closure. disposed the path .of locking movement of the latch ofaliother ensure;

"7. A plural eompartmentirece taeiehavring independent compartment closuresand, locking mechanism common" to said' 010 mosses sures and provided with independent spring actuated locking bolts, carriers for the bolts and a door holding latch for each closure, the carrier for the bolt of one closure being arianged in the path of locking movement of the latch of another closure for actuation to disengage the bolt of the first named closure.

8. A receptacle having a plurality of independently movable closures, independent locking elements related with the respective closures, and means for reversely actuating the elements, whereby one moves to engaging position when another is moved to releasing position.

9. A cabinet having a pair of independently movable doors, a locking mechanism, including a locking bolt and a controlling knob, associated with each door,- for locking the same in closed position, and means operative when the knob of either door is actuated and said door opened to control the locking bolt of the other door to lock said other door in closed position.

10. A cabinet having a pair of doors, a.

locking mechanism for each door, and a connecting means whereby when either door is locked by its locking mechanism the locking mechanism of the other door is released.

11. A receptacle having a pair of separate and independent closures, and a look ing mechanism inactive when both closures are closed so as to permit either closure to be opened, said locking mechanism being operative to lock either closure when the other closure is opened.

12. A cabinet having a pair of independent closures, a locking mechanism for each closure, each locking mechanism including a manually operable actuating element, and an interrelated controlling means for said locking mechanisms, governing the same for rendering either locking mechanism operative to lock a closure when the actuating element of the other locking mechanism is operated to render said other locking mechanism inoperative to effect the release of another closure.

In testimony whereof I alfix my si nature.

ELBERT F. TURlIER. 

